Industry Roundup: Shimadzu Debuts GCMS-TQ RX Series, Tackling Helium Shortage and Laboratory Throughput Pressures

Shimadzu has introduced the GCMS-TQ RX Series,¹ a new generation of triple quadrupole gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) systems built to help laboratories manage increasingly complex samples, higher throughput demands, and mounting pressure to cut back on helium use.

The series targets laboratories across food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and clinical testing, combining Shimadzu's established GC-MS/MS technology with new software and hardware features aimed at supporting a wider range of workflows. The flagship model, the GCMS-TQ8050 RX, brings together the platform's full set of workflow, injection, and carrier gas options, positioning it to handle high-throughput routine work without sacrificing performance on more demanding analyses.

Responding to Growing Pressure on Routine Laboratories

According to Shimadzu, today's analytical laboratories are contending with a mix of challenges: increasingly complex sample matrices, rising sample volumes, and tightening regulatory requirements, all while needing more flexibility in how methods are developed and run.

To address that, the GCMS-TQ RX Series incorporates what the company calls Smart MRM+ technology along with built-in application databases, both intended to simplify the process of setting up and adjusting analytical methods. The platform also includes Analytical Intelligence functions designed to support day-to-day operation and reduce how much specialized GC-MS expertise is required to run the system effectively.

A central feature of the new series is its multi-mode injector (MMI), which allows multiple injection techniques, including split injection, programmed temperature vaporization, and large-volume injection, to run through a single inlet. That flexibility means labs can potentially cover a broader range of analyses without needing separate systems. Shimadzu also emphasized the platform's robust hardware and long-life components, which are intended to support stable operation and cut down on maintenance demands in busy routine laboratory settings.

Addressing the Helium Squeeze

The new series also takes direct aim at an issue that's been increasingly disruptive for GC-MS laboratories: helium availability and cost. Beyond conventional helium-based operation, the GCMS-TQ RX Series supports both hydrogen and nitrogen as carrier gases, giving laboratories more options when deciding on a gas strategy. The platform also includes helium-saving functions designed to reduce consumption in labs that continue to rely on helium, without compromising routine analytical performance.

Key features of the GCMS-TQ RX Series include:

• A flexible platform suited to both routine and specialized GC-MS/MS applications
• Smart MRM+ workflows paired with application databases for simplified method development
• A multi-mode injector supporting multiple injection techniques on one system
• Compatibility with helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen carrier gases
• Built-in technologies to reduce helium consumption
• Robust hardware and long-life components built for routine lab use
• Applicability across food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and clinical testing

Shimadzu positioned the launch as part of its ongoing effort to support laboratories as analytical demands and resource constraints continue to shift. The company said the platform is designed to balance day-to-day operational efficiency with the sensitivity and stability needed for routine quantitative analysis across a broad range of application areas.

For more information, visit the Shimadzu website: https://www.shimadzu.eu/GCMS-TQ-RX

References

1, Shimadzu Introduces the GCMS-TQ RX Series; New Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS Platform Combines Analytical Performance with Greater Flexibility for Routine Laboratories. Shimadzu press release. (accessed 2026-09-02)